J&K: Pak violates ceasefire again, opens unprovoked fire in Rajouri

Army troops guarding the borderline fired back resulting in intermittent exchanges of fire.

Army troops guarding the borderline retaliated and the exchanges between the two sides were going till last reports came in.

Three days after targeting Indian positions in Shahpur areas of Poonch with mortars and small arms fire, Pakistani troops opened unprovoked firing on Bimbhar Gali (BG) area in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Defence Ministry spokesman Lt Colonel Maneesh Mehta said that ceasefire violation came at 5.15 am with Pakistani troops resorting to use of small arms and automatic weapons. The Indian army also retaliated and the intermittent exchange of fire between the two sides was in progress till afternoon, he said, adding that there was no loss of life or damage to property on the Indian side.

Last time, the Pakistani troops had resorted to unprovoked firing from across the LoC on Shahpur area in Poonch district on April 25. That time also, the Indian army had retaliated and the exchange of fire between them continued for over three hours.

These latest incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistan have come after a lull of nearly four months along the LoC as they had earlier resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian side first in Uri sector of Kashmir on January 26 and then at Balakote (Poonch) in Jammu region on January 29.

Though both the countries had since December last meeting between their Director General Military Operations (DGMOs) at Wagah and Brigade Commanders at Chakkan Da Bagh in Poonch, these border skirmishes have not come to an end. Sources attributed incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistan to its attempts to push armed terrorists from across the LoC into the state.